This is a thread to argue which specific shots were the best ever for their category. Thus the minimum requirement for every shot HAS to be a winner and I am combining ATP/WTA.

Best 1st Serve -

Best 2nd Serve -

Best forehand Return -

Best backhand Return -

Best forehand -

Best backhand -

Best smash -

Best forehand Volley -

Best backhand Volley -

If possible please supply videoclips to backup your choices.

My nominees are:

Best smash - Roger Federer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Hp-EArV6s8
Basel against Roddick :bow:

Best forehand Return - Serena Williams
http://www.dailymotion.com/maria-sharapova...ena-part3_sport
Point at 0-3 0-30 ;)

Best second serve - Roger Federer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QZQe-B4cNI
:bow:

Am I being dim FW .... aren't we already doing this in seperate threads for each category???? Or is it because we actually have to show them in this one? :hmm:

EDIT:- I think I understand now.... You mean a specific shot... I didn't read it properly first time around. However this is going to be tough if someone wants to nominate a shot from older matches that they can't find to show other people!

Yes it is hard but I will try and find any people mention (there are loads in megaupload vaults if you can find them) as well so it only means video shots but there are quite a few on youtube and all.

No offence but I think this is a near impossible task.
There are loads of good shots I can think of but have little hope they are all online... :shrug:

I like the idea FW :ok: Sounds like folk have had trouble finding them though. My problem isn't so much that but remebering them :lol:

There are enough around to be able to fill in all the categories and even debate some.

Perosnally I don't think this thread is going to work. Sorry to put a dampener on it.

I have to agree. It's a nice idea F-W but it might end up being a 'what's the best tennis shots currently available on YouTube'... :shrug:

Perhaps I should elaborate. I think there are way too many incredible shots performed over the years, including by players that would be considered journeyen in our eyes.

I think a much better idea would just be to glorify and post as many incredible shots we could find on the likes of youtube, dailymotion, megaupload etc etc...I think that would be much more fun than trying to argue what's the best singular shot. which in no way can be determined.
I've posted so many matches on youtube myself by many players I'm more than happy to post a few here to help contribute..

Well I think FW had a nice idea so we should make the best of it :ok: Why not get some shots posted up and we can take it from there?

Must say am not great at finding this stuff, is there anywhere but youtube? Some nice Mac volleys, a Goran serve and a Henin backhadn would be a nice start :D

Well, the lob wasnt mentioned but one that stands out was Lendls one at match point down against Cash in the 1984 US Open. Again, taking into account the pressure of the situation. Cant find it on youtube though .

Would it help narrow things down here if we concentrated on shots under pressure which changed the course of a match ? :shrug:
I canalso think of a Federer forehand in the Wimbledon final .

Well I can post some stuff tomorrow but there is now way in hell am I gonna waste my time arguing what's the best single shot ever played - that's madness.

Some of the best shot's we've seen performed by players? well that's a totally different scenario.

I think it'd be great if people could put up what they see as great examples of certain shots. I personally don't play tennis so I'm not always great with the technical side of it, so seeing what other posters think of as great shots would help me immensely. :ok:

I can see that debating greatest shots would be a bit challenging though - there's gonna be so many to choose from!!! :blink: But I definitely think it would be interesting to post videos and discuss the shots with others :ok:

That's my problem - I don't play so the technicalites don't amaze me as much but I don't think that matters becuase great shots just stand out regardless. :ok:

well the whole point of the greatest shots forum was for us to discuss each shot seperately and post clips of those shots, so condensing it into one thread makes the seperate threads redundant, which saves me a job anyway :shrug:

i think this was more about the greatest single shot rather than overall if that makes sense. So it could be that at some point Bogdanovic (or someone more likely :P ) managed a forehand shot that was awesome, but on a general basis he's got a rubbish forehand :shrug:

Here's a few great shots

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFYUFZR0pok

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2PKJ2yBUL4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yK1dNl9cZSo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUKdJAVCnTE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Es4CSX8kacg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7Ui0oi_03s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWZ-hxsob9c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtgLwGUAdGY

Yeh sorry Liam i didn't mean like greatest forehand.

I meant best individual forehand played by anyone.

So as DJ said Boggo could have hit an amazing one once but is his forehand in the league of Federer - no way.

there was a shot from Mary, she was on the run, leapt in the aair, hit the ball through her legs and won the point!!! ive seen it on youtube before but cant find it riht now.....

Passing Shot - Michael Stich v Michael Chang

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=WsL89DmOEj4

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :o :o :o

That's absolutely amazing!!!!!!!!!!!! (on the slow mo it looks incredibly close to a double bounce, but I am guessing the poor picture quality contributes to that)

It's not this one is it Liam?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA0SktD_tCs

She doesn't really leap but she does hit the ball between her legs without with her back to the net. The youtube title is lucky but I'd say it's pretty great myself.

Nice little nudge over the net sideways from good ole' Boris here....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uxxyWZASB4

nah the one i mean she jumps right in the air at the back of the court and hits it through her legs. I think it produces an error from her opponent rather than being an outright winner but its great non the less

Yeah, this is one of the problems with these clips - the quality isn't great and it's very hard to see the ball, eve3n on soem of the better quality ones.

That's brilliant :bow: and exactly the sort of tennis I miss :D No one seems to be able to get down to those low balls and make those shots any more.

superb :clap:

also superb! :clap:

OK, a few from Goran

Amazing between the legs shot :D

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=TXffgXOaSvE&feature=related

Outrageous - Goran hits a brutal winner after falling over; you will all remember this and poor Henman wasn't happy.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=BqXWog14KzY&feature=related

I personally think Goran's serve is arguably the best of all time, and here's a mix of his play the fans - plenty of aces in here.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=cRCEcL62_U0

:bow: :bow:

Those first two clips are awesome!

Ah.....Goran....He helped me go through the 90s.

I don't know if you checked out this one I posted earlier, check Becker's reaction after the shot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Es4CSX8kacg

Yeah and I wouldn't mind him coming over and helping me through until 2030 :lol:

Glad you like them. :) You just don't see shots like that now, no one dives - I mean that second shot! :yikes:

Sorry I missed that. Superb, we don't see too many shots hit like that from outisde the court these days. Great angle :)

You always have to be so pessimistic choka :rolleyes: roflmao

Gasquet lovely volley

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=9aUBRp2MFvU&feature=related

*So it could be that at some point Bogdanovic (or someone more likely ) managed a forehand*

Says it all really eh?? British tennis is well in the doldrums.


Greatest drop-shotters; Evert, ASV, Hingis. In that order.

I thought I’d get some links for both Federer and Sampras….

A running whipped short crosscourt forehand….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7NFIqNhLWU

….Sampras used this plenty of times throughout his career. I remember him using it several times against a diving Boris at Wimbledon….Grrrrrr!!!! Boris had no answer.

And just simply a great rally with Agassi….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuL1yf0oNQ0

:clap: :clap:

….and how about this from Roger….. Federer’s Guide to returning a smash….I love this point. It’s just the way he plays the shot….he looks elegant playing it even though Roddick has just hit a smash and any other player would be scrambling for it….probably my favourite point in the history of tennis.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQHHBWbtEmA

..and a incredibly cheeky but lovely around-the-net shot from Roger…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEYF3KMuelk


:clap: :clap:

Outrageous shots from Roger there :D

How about this "impossible" shot from Pete

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1q2OU6eWqqM

Two slam dunks in a row

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cBWWp1Ry1Y

A slice lob !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIUkd0SP9DQ

And a standing ovation after losing a point!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHeBOYAek6o